The community of Watertown Township is still reeling after a horrific drunk driving crash that killed two men and injured 14 others. On Wednesday, 36-year-old Ashley Monroe, a pregnant mother of five from Michigan, was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in state prison for the tragedy that devastated an entire family and shook the small township northwest of Lansing.
The sentencing came nearly a year and a half after Monroe, with a blood alcohol level of 0.183 more than twice the legal limit drove her vehicle straight into a group of 16 pedestrians walking to a nearby park on May 18, 2024. Authorities said the group, all part of an extended family, had gathered for a simple day of fun that turned to horror in seconds.
Inside Monroe’s purse, police found a mostly empty bottle of Crown Royal whiskey and two bottles of antidepressants. Prosecutors argued that she had no business being behind the wheel, especially while pregnant. Monroe pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and eight counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury, charges that together guaranteed decades behind bars.
“This family is going to have to live with memories of this terrible tragedy for the rest of their lives,” Circuit Judge Cori Barkman said during sentencing, according to the Lansing State Journal.
The courtroom was filled with heartbreak and anger as relatives of the victims addressed Monroe directly. Johnathan Esch, a 30-year-old firefighter, and Daniel Harris, 42, were both killed at the scene. Their family described how one reckless decision destroyed multiple generations.
“Ashley, you made me a 28-year-old widow,” Erika Glatz, Esch’s wife, said through tears, as reported by WILX. “But, Ashley, this was not a mistake. You chose to drink while pregnant. You chose to drive. And perhaps most vile of all, you chose to run over an entire family and flee.”
Esch’s mother, Dee Esch, was equally unforgiving. “Make no mistake, what you did was murder. You are a murderer,” she said.
The crash occurred shortly before 6:30 p.m. along South Wacousta Road near Corrison Road. Monroe fled the scene but was stopped minutes later by Clinton County Sheriff’s deputies. Her vehicle showed heavy front-end damage, with hair, blood, and tissue evidence confirming the impact.
Nine of the 14 surviving victims suffered serious injuries, including broken bones and internal trauma. Their ages ranged from 2 to 61. Paramedics transported them to area hospitals for emergency treatment.
Assistant Prosecutor Debra Martinez told the court that Monroe’s actions were not an accident but a conscious choice. The combination of alcohol, medication, and poor judgment turned her SUV into a deadly weapon.
Monroe, who worked briefly at the Michigan Secretary of State’s office, did not address the court but her defense attorney said she was remorseful and understood the weight of her actions.
Community members in Clinton County described the sentencing as “a relief but not justice,” noting that no prison term could undo the loss of two lives or the pain inflicted on the surviving family.
Legal analysts say the case highlights Michigan’s increasing emphasis on tough DUI penalties, especially for repeat offenders and those whose actions result in death or severe injury.
Experts in drunk driving laws and wrongful death claims say the crash underscores the devastating consequences of impaired driving and the financial and emotional toll it leaves behind.
